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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29135997">Fallen Brothers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitKatOfMidgard/pseuds/KitKatOfMidgard'>KitKatOfMidgard</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Show Me Hope Again [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Ending, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cliffhangers, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:15:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29135997</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitKatOfMidgard/pseuds/KitKatOfMidgard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What would've happened if Steve Rogers looked for - and found - his best friend after the train? Short pre-train scenes followed by angst overload. This sets the backstory for the later books in the series which are set from 2012 to post-Endgame era. First book in phase one of my AU series, Show Me Hope Again. No slash.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Show Me Hope Again [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138187</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fallen Brothers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The smoke was taking an awful long time to clear. It was everywhere, filling his lungs with unpleasantly smoggy air. If he'd been able to breathe properly, Bucky would've spared a moment to roll his eyes at the excessiveness. Then again, Hydra itself was excessive. They just had more tools to play with this time around. Now that was a pleasant thought.</p>
<p>So far, the terrible plan they had was working rather well. Apart from the fact that Bucky was almost certain that they were doomed, it was working. Besides, after weeks of attempting to track Zola around the world, he considered stumbling across this unmarked base a win. It was the plot they'd hatched that he was bothered about. None of them were entirely sure what they would find inside, or even if they'd be able to get out, but if they ended up discovering the doctor, then that was another win for the Howling Commandos and another loss for Hydra. Quite a big one, actually.</p>
<p>Whatever the smoke stuff was, it was working well, he noted with an undeniable amount of exasperation. Not for the Howlies, of course. He watched as his rifle was taken — ruefully, of course; he liked that rifle — before he was shoved towards the rest of the team, unhappily kicking at the snow. The soldiers shouted orders in German, prodding forth the famed Howlies. Bucky glanced back one more time at the cleared camp as he trudged through the snow. It was cold, leaving him wishing that he could've stayed by the fire for even a tiny bit longer. If this didn't work, he was blaming Dugan and Steve.</p>
<p>Putting that aside, the plan wasn't exactly blowing up in the Howlies' faces just yet. However he looked at that, he couldn't deny the win there. This was the best plan they'd managed to come up with all week, and it was the only one which had gotten them so far. The first hitch, being the soldiers' preparation, had thrown them all off, though. Looking back, it probably should've been anticipated. After all, what sensible soldier <em>wouldn't</em> take out the enemy that could potentially kill them all in seconds?</p>
<p>Ignoring that, his main concern at that moment was what they'd hit Steve with. The first of the smoke that had weaved its way around them had been different. Steve had dropped immediately. It hadn't taken long for that first round to disappear, but they'd all gotten a hint of it. Bucky felt the drowsiness tugging at him(although he would later half-heartedly maintain that their scheming the previous night hadn't given him a chance to sleep. The entire team would, of course, secretly know differently), just as it was clearly causing the rest of the team to lag behind.</p>
<p>If Hydra was succeeding at developing weapons that could take down Captain America, then the Howling Commandos were in trouble. And, he thought bitterly, 'trouble' was an understatement. He turned to face forward once more, glad that the famously stupid punk who was his best friend was too valuable to kill straight off the bat.</p>
<p>Honestly. It gave him a headache to even think about that. Or maybe it was the smell of the smoke that stubbornly refused to go away. The silence filling the air didn't do much to help. It descended over the unlikely gang like a blanket, only broken by the occasional barked orders issued by the Hydra soldiers, irritable from the trip.</p>
<p>Still, a blanket would be warmer, Bucky decided grumpily. He hated the cold. Then again, once he took a glance at Steve being dragged through the snow, he winced, feeling ridiculously colder just by looking at his friend. Up ahead, he could see the looming walls of the Hydra base he and Dugan had scouted out only that morning. They'd moved their camp closer just a few hours previously and then led the patrol back. What was the world coming to?</p>
<p>Bucky shot a sideways glance at the team. It would be Jacques' turn to star in the latest hare-brained mission they'd been sent on. The Frenchman, being the lockpick master that he was, would be taking up the most important role in this newest escapade. Catching his look, Jacques gave him a subtle nod, a smirk playing across his face. Bucky made a show of rolling his eyes before continuing his stony-faced march towards the base, ignoring the Hydra soldiers as best he could.</p>
<p>Finally, they passed through the gates. As they passed through, Bucky counted the guards. One extra soldier patrolling the wall, two guarding the gates. He could pick out a second guard further down the wall, and that was it. Here was where it got better, though. They made their way further into the base. He caught glimpses of fifteen, maybe twenty soldiers to each of the groups which stood assembled in the courtyard, their helmets turning to follow the progress of the prisoners as they were led into the main building.</p>
<p>If Bucky was being honest, he was expecting it to be even a tiny bit warmer inside. No such luck. If anything, it seemed even colder in the base. The dim lighting cast strange shadows across the walls, the only light shining from the barred windows in each empty room they passed. An uneasy feeling settled over him. This was just like Azzano.</p>
<p>They were brought into the final room, turning away from the corridor that stretched onwards into the gloom. Fourteen cells lined the walls, set almost ominously in the ground. Bucky didn't like it one bit. He turned to look for Steve, but the soldier behind him grabbed his arm and shoved him forward with a snarl in German.</p>
<p>He stumbled into the first cell, rubbing at his elbow with a glare at the soldier. The door clanged shut behind him as, with an almost synchronised and clearly practised movement, the soldiers shoved the rest of the Howlies into separate cells before filing out of the room, giving the prisoners parting sneers.</p>
<p>Wonderful hospitality.</p>
<p>"We all here? How's Steve doin'?" Bucky whispered into the darkness. There was a beat of silence, followed by Monty asking the two words Bucky had thus far been hoping not to hear.</p>
<p>"...Where is Steve?"</p>
<p>
  <strong>*SR* </strong>
</p>
<p>Half an hour had passed since the initial capture and the moment when Steve came around. Of course, he didn’t know that was the amount of time that had gone by, but he did get the gist, seeing as he was slumped against the wall in a small cell, his hands shackled to the floor, and none of the team were in the brightly lit room. What he did know was that he had one hell of a headache. He sat up, blinking wearily.</p>
<p>Sleep beckoned him as his head whirled again; he shook his head slowly to clear it, rubbing his face tiredly. He snapped off the cuffs — really, whose idea was it to use regular cuffs? Steve shook his head in disappointment. Hydra were becoming slow and stupid — and glanced around intently, standing and slowly moving over to the cell door with a wince. As his hand closed around the bars of his cell, pain shot up his arm, leaving him to reel back as the electricity seized him. He shook his hand furiously. Stupid. Why else would it be so apparently easy to get out?</p>
<p>He sighed and sat heavily on the bench that was nailed firmly to the wall. There went that initial escape plan. He glanced around once more, but froze when a voice reached his ears, followed by faint footsteps.</p>
<p>“-gave explicit instructions to wait for him.” Steve stood warily, his gaze fixed on the door as he moved to the bars of the cell once more.</p>
<p>“Science awaits no man. Besides, Zola will be pleased at what progress we’ve made in his absence.” The disembodied voices were joined by their speakers as two doctors entered the room, flanked by two guards. The former two ceased their hushed argument as they looked at him. He allowed his face to fall into a guarded mask. “Ah, Captain Rogers. We wondered when you’d be joining us.”</p>
<p>Steve didn’t acknowledge the doctor. “You gonna tell me why I’m here?”</p>
<p>The doctor nodded impassively, turning his head to look at his companion, a hunched-over, more timid-looking man. “Fetch the sergeant, if he is indeed among the ranks of our newest catch as you say. The reunion is imminent now.” A chill gripped Steve as he watched the other doctor scurry from the room, the guards following him at a beckon. The doctor strode purposefully towards the lone cell and looked up at the much taller Captain, not a shred of fear glimmering in his eyes. Steve glared back.</p>
<p>“Schmidt will be delighted to hear of the news of your capture, Captain Rogers. You’ve been causing Hydra trouble for quite some time now.” Silence. The doctor turned away and moved to the metal tables lining the walls, running a gloved hand over the rows of foreboding-looking instruments. “You know, Captain, you’ll be helping us either way. You and the living subject Zola never got to perfect.” Steve clenched his fists, an uneasy feeling settling over him.</p>
<p>“Who?”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you know the one. Sergeant Barnes. Friend of yours, if I’m not mistaken? I hear Zola was rather delighted when he heard of the Sergeant’s survival.”</p>
<p>“What do you want with him?” Steve demanded sharply. The doctor didn’t turn around, gazing intently at the papers littering the table.</p>
<p>“Science, Captain, science.”</p>
<p>The doctor began to say something more but Steve, without thinking, grabbed the bench and ripped it from the wall. This time the doctor did turn, more out of shock than anything else, but Steve had already thrown the bench. It crashed through the bars, sending metal and wood flying everywhere before it ultimately swept the doctor’s legs from under him with an ominous crack. Without missing a beat, Steve stepped out from the ruined cell and marched towards the doctor, who whimpered in pain as he pulled himself up to rest against the wall, one of his legs sprawled out at an odd angle.</p>
<p>“Never underestimate the enemy.” The doctor was afraid now. Instead of pride, however, Steve just felt sick. He crouched so that they were eye-level. “You said Zola wanted to perfect Sergeant Barnes. What was he doing to him?” The doctor drew breath sharply, a pained attempt at a smile twisting his features.</p>
<p>“You and Schmidt are the only ones to have survived the supersoldier serum,” he rattled. “You already know that our task is to create another serum, and that’s what we were doing. The prisoners at the Azzano base were just a means to an end. We never thought that any of them would survive the initial stages however much we tried.”</p>
<p>Steve’s jaw clenched as he dragged the doctor to his feet. “We stopped you. You can’t replicate doctor Erskine’s serum. You were stupid to try.”</p>
<p>“Science finds a way, Captain,” the doctor rasped. “You can’t stop it.”</p>
<p>“Maybe not, but I can stop you.”</p>
<p>The doctor’s eyes widened in alarm as Steve shoved him towards the door. He stumbled on his bad leg and scrabbled at the table for balance, a drawn-out hiss escaping him before a sudden crack melded it into a choke. Steve watched in disgusted surprise as the doctor sank to the floor, foam bubbling from his mouth while he clawed weakly at his throat.</p>
<p>“Hail… Hydra…” the dying doctor gasped out before finally slumping over. He didn’t move again. Stepping out from the room in a clumsy daze, Steve glanced down the hall, struggling to gain his bearings. With the doctor gone, he no longer had any means to somewhat reliably find the rest of the team. That was the thought that ran through his head the split second before a distant shout echoed from somewhere down the hall, followed by three gunshots in rapid succession.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome to the first chapter in Fallen Brothers! Boy, getting this out has been a bit of a rollercoaster in both posting and being new to the site, but I figure I'll get used to it eventually. </p>
<p>Anyway. As before, I've got my three sisters to thank for constantly supporting me during the initial stages(and, of course, right up to whatever stage it's at now). Go check out their profile here at CourtesyTrefflin, they're the best! </p>
<p>Alright, history time. This AU series idea came from one of my daydreaming sessions. It started as the initial idea - 'what if Steve jumped after Bucky?'. Then it sort of just nagged at the back of my mind for about a week before anything came of it. I'm saddened to admit that it took even longer to properly write anything in it, and no matter what I did nothing worked. So I just quietly let it simmer for about a year, occasionally adding the odd sentence, but never really doing anything. <br/>So, I focused on trying to write the future parts until about a month or two ago, when I realized that I desperately wanted to write a Howling Commandos fic. That's what I started to do and I actually did get decently far before I absently noted that what I wrote could easily be adapted to what I was now intent on writing to kickstart the series properly. <br/>So, I had an heartbreaking scene for the aftermath of Bucky's fall, a head full of ideas and I'd scrapped the whole jump thing. But it still wasn't sitting right. Then in a sudden and random fit of inspiration two weeks ago, I spat out eight hundred words at eight AM and had the basics for this chapter. <br/>After that, I extended Bucky's pov to what it is now during the drafting and posted the chapter on another site. Just like that. Once I added Steve's view, everything got way better. And, thus, after an incredibly stressful two weeks, you get this. And now we're all caught up. </p>
<p>I'm going to hold back on the next chapter for a while, since it's nowhere near finished despite the week I had to do it in, something which I apologize immensely for. </p>
<p>Important note: I'm not claiming responsibility for any tears wept or hearts broken during this fic.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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